Spark-plug.



N. E. BENSINGER.

SPARK PLUG APPLICATION FILED APR. 21. I917.

1 373,3 1 6. q,- Patented July 23, 1918.

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SPARK PLUG.

APPLICATION FILED APR.27.1917.

Patented July 23, 1918,

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A TTORJYEY NORMAN E. BENSINGEB, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SPARK-PLUG.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 23, 1918.

Application filed April 27, 1917. Serial No. 164,845.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, NORMAN E. BEN- SINGER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Spark-Plugs, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to spark plugs used in' connection with internal combustion engines.

The principal object of the invention consists in the provision of a spark plug which can be takenapart and assembled Without appreciable loss of time or inconvenience, so that carbon deposits accumulated thereon during the operation of the engine In be readily removed.

A further object aims. at the prevention of fracture of the fragile portion of the plug because of uneven contraction and expansion caused by the different temperatures to which the upper and lower portions respectively of the plug are subjected.

It is also an object of the invention to provide certain details of construction and combinations tending to increase the effectiveness and general desirability of a device of this particular character.

Vith these and other objects in view, the

invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter further described and specifically pointed out in the appended claims. In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the device made in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is partly a side view and partly a section of the device, the section being taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View on the line 3 -3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing the device with modified clamping and locking means.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the device shown in Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a hollow metal casing formed with a reduced tubular extension 2, provided. with eX ternal screw threads, so as to enter into threaded engagement with the walls of an opening provided in. thecylinder wall of the engine. The upper portion 3 of the casing is angular, so as to lend itself readily to engagement by a wrench or similar tool, when the device is to be mounted to the engine der 4: is formed. The casing 1 receives a bushing, generally designated by 5, which comprises an upper and a lower portion, the upper portion being wider than the lower portlon, so as to form a shoulder 6, which in the normal operation of the parts is above the shoulder 4 of the casing and forms an annular chamber 7 therewith, for the reception of suitable packing 8. The bushing 5 1s coextensive with the casing and is flanged at its extreme upper portion, as at 9, said flange being maintained at suitable distance from the upper surface of the casing by means of packing 10 interposed therebetween.

The bushing 5 forms a grounded connection through the casing and cylinder with the batteries or magneto generator, and its inner portion forms a terminal with whlch another terminal cooperates to form a spark gap. The bushing 5 snugly fits within the -vided near the lower end of the bushing 5.

Intermediate its ends the insulating member 11 is flanged, as. at 13, and between this flange and the upper side of the bushing 5, packing 14 of copper or other soft metal is interposed. A bent rod 15 is threaded centrally through the insulating member and projectsradially outwardly thereof through a horizontal bore provided near the upper end of said member. The lower portion of said rod terminates in a spherical end which tends to facilitate the sparking. The up er horizontal end of the rod is screw-threa ed to receive binding washers16 and a nut 17 to permit connection of a wire (not shown). The casing 1 at opposite sides has openings 18 for pivot screws 19, which serve to secure to said casing a yoke 20 formed-at the upper portion with a screw threaded opening 21, in which a wing or pressure screw 22 is adjustably'arranged, As is obvious from Fig.

3, the horizontal portion of the yoke is bored, as at 23, for the reception of a threaded member 24., which acts against a loose metal block 25 arranged in a recess of'the yoke and adapted to enter into engagement with said pressure screw 22, so as to prevent loosening thereof by virtue of the vibrations of the machine. From the foregoing'it is obvious that the parts of the spark plug may be held in operative position by the pressure exerted by the set screw 22, and this pressure may be increasedor decreased, or may be maintained by the arrangement of the.

slots26 circumferentially arranged on its shank and adapted to be enga ed by .a spring clip 27 secured to the si e of the yoke 20. The clip 27 is bent at its end so as to enter the vertical ,slotsor grooves in the screw shank, whereby the pressure screw is prevented from working itself loose under the vibrations of the engine.

While the drawings illustrate the preferred embodiment of the invention, it 1s not my intention of confining myself strictly.

to the details shown, but rather want to avail myself of any changes, alterations and modifications constituting departures within the scope of my invention, as defined in the appended claims.

I claim 1. A spark plug, including a casing having an inturned shoulder, a bushing arranged in said casing and supported by the shoulder'of the casing, an insulating member inserted in said bushing and carried thereby, said insulating member containing an electrode, a. pressure screw adapted to bear against said insulating member, and means pivotally secured to said casing and oscillatable about an axis transverse with respect to the longitudinal axis of the casing for holding said pressure screw in engagement with said member and adapted upon release to hold said pressure screw in idle position to permit removal of the insulating member by withdrawal of the bushing.

2. In a spark plug, a casing, a metallic bushing in-said casing, an insulating member arranged in said bushing and containing an electrode, a yoke pivotally secured to said casing and oscillatable about an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the casing, and a pressure screw-carried by said yoke and adapted to engage said insulating member to pivot it to said casing and said bushing.

3. A spark plug, including a casing, a bushing in said casing, an insulating member in said bushing and containing an electrode, a pressure screw adapted to maintain the parts in operative relation, means pivotally secured to said casing for supporting said pressure screw in or out of engaging position, and means for locking said pressure screw in adjusted position.

4. A spark plug, including a casing, a bushing in said casing, an insulated member arranged in said bushing and containing an electrode, a yoke pivotally secured to said casing, a pressure screw carried by said yoke and adapted to engage said insulating member, the shankof said pressure screw having a series of longitudinal circumferentially arranged slots, and a detent secured to said yoke and adapted to enter one of said slots to prevent turning of said pressure screw, substantially as described.

NORMAN E. BENSINGER. 

